Neuromodulation in Psychiatry: A Giving Smarter Guide
One billion people live with mental illness worldwide. Many of them do not find meaningful relief from their symptoms, even if they use evidence-based treatments like psychotherapy or medication. However, a different category of treatment—neuromodulation—may provide relief as a complementary approach.
Neuromodulation therapies are designed to influence brain activity patterns, correcting or regulating the disruptions that cause symptoms of mental illness. They work by delivering precisely targeted energy in the form of electrical, magnetic, or sound waves. Depending on the specific form of therapy, this energy can be delivered either by an external device (such as a helmet) or via a surgical implant.
Although these therapies are most commonly used to treat other types of brain disorders such as epilepsy, they hold significant promise in psychiatry. Several neuromodulation therapies are already approved or cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, and they have demonstrated the potential to treat many other mental health conditions including substance use disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety. Importantly, strong evidence suggests that these therapies can help people with severe conditions who have been unable to find relief from other forms of treatment.
Despite this promise, progress in neuromodulation for psychiatric conditions has been slow. Coordinated investment in the field has lagged, due in part to the challenges posed by the biological complexity of these conditions and wide-spread stigma around medical or surgical interventions for mental illness.
To jumpstart progress, SPARC partnered with the Rodan Family Foundation to convene the Neuromodulation in Psychiatry Stakeholders’ Roundtable in June 2026 to identify the field’s most pressing barriers and highest-leverage opportunities. This Giving Smarter Guide details the resulting learnings and points to areas where philanthropic funding can advance more accessible, effective care through neuromodulation therapies.
Click “Download” for the full report or access an executive summary here.